Snow
by BashirXena
Summary: Depth continued. More Alec lovin! This is a sequel to another story. Read the other first so you get it, it's a really good read! Complete.
1. Default Chapter

  
In the forest during winter, many things die. Nothing can change that. It's the cycle of life. Fall ends as winter rolls in and life is still until spring. But in this particular forest winter reigned supreme. Snow didn't cover the ground yet, but it was definitely eminent.  
  
Alec had never experienced winter. The closest he came was one mission but it wasn't like he got to play in it. He did the job and went back. End of story.   
  
Staring out the window, he saw the dead trees and fallen leaves. A small part of him wished that snow blanketed the ground just so he could play in it. Snowballs and snowmen; he never thought he'd want to play in the snow.  
  
"It'll probably snow tonight," a voice came from behind.   
  
Alec sighed contentedly relaxing into Satrina's embrace when she wrapped her arms around him. Her chin rested on his shoulder and she gazed out the window. "You think?"  
  
"Mmm-hmm," she answered. "It was really nice of Logan to let us use his cabin. What exactly did you have to do in order for us to borrow it?"  
  
"Well, Logan is a lonely guy, and he wanted some company so..." He let her fill in the rest.  
  
Satrina let go of Alec. "Well, if you're getting cozy with Logan, maybe I should talk to Max. She must be getting real lonely without Logan to kiss."  
  
"Oh really?" Swiftly, he grabbed her and kissed her. His lips played with hers lightly. "Now what were you saying?"  
  
Her mouth moved slowly with no words. Finally she was able to get out a haggard, "Mmmm ... what?"  
  
He chuckled. "Nevermind." He squatted next to the fire and haphazardly threw a log on it. "What do you want to do?" He glanced over his shoulder at her.  
  
"I'm all for going on a walk."  
  
"Are you sure you can keep up with me?"  
  
She frowned. "Honey, I can keep up with you in bed and you're worried about a walk?" At the rising red on his cheeks, she continued. "Exactly. Not get your cute embarrassed butt over here and let's go."  
  
He joined her. "Alright, sweet-cheeks. Let's go for a walk."  
  
  
Standing in the middle of the forest, Satrina was ready to kill Alec. The trans-genic decided it would be funny to traipse off leaving her wondering where the hell he was. She also had no idea where she was. _I'm going to kill him! That dirty son of a bitch! I'm freezing, lost and alone. This isn't even good revenge. It would have been better if he had embarrassed me instead of leaving me lost! _  
  
Her numb fingers longed for mittens or gloves ... or maybe the throat of a certain X-5. An angry grunt left her throat as she shoved her hands in her coat pockets. Not bothering to look for Alec, she started walking in the general direction she thought the cabin was in.   
_  
He's probably out there laughing at me. As soon as I get a hold of him, I'm going to ... to get him very unclothed._  
  
She smirked. That would be hilarious. Thoughts of revenge distracted her and she hit her head on a low branch with a loud smack.  
  
Instantly, her hand flew to her head. Screams of rage erupted from her. "Alec! You bastard! When I get my hands on you, you're going to pay!"  
  
Her walking continued as she mumbled. "That dirty son of whore. I'm going to fucking kill that bastard."  
  
"Now that's no way for a lady to talk."  
  
Whipping towards him, Satrina's eyes widened. "I hate you!" She punched him hard in the stomach. Due to him being a super soldier, the punch barely fazed him. "You left me in the god damn cold having no idea where I am!" Spinning on her heal, she went in her previous direction.   
  
Easily, he caught up with her. "Satrina, come on. It was a joke."  
  
She pointed to the bruise on her head. "Does this look funny to you?"  
  
He winced. "I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you."  
  
She snorted. "I highly doubt it." She crossed her arms in front of her hoping to look more upset.  
  
"Please let me try," he pleaded using puppy-dog eyes and letting his bottom lip pout.  
  
Involuntarily, her lips curved into a smile. "God, I hate it when you do that. Fine, but only because you're so damn cure."  
  
Stepping in front of her, he pointed to his back. "Hop on."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Go ahead. Up." When she made no move, he looked to her confused face.   
"Come on. I'm promise I'll be nice. All I wanna do is give you a piggyback ride back to the cabin."  
  
She shrugged. "Okay, but I hope your Manticore strength doesn't fail you." She jumped up and straddled his back.  
  
"Hmm, this seems familiar," he said slyly and was quieted when she slapped him upside the head.  
  
"I'll have to ask Logan if being extremely witty is a common trait in X-5."  
  
"Only in the good-looking ones." And he was off. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders quickly to make sure she didn't fall off. His speed was amazing even with her added weight. Zigzagging, he effortlessly dodged every branch and tree.   
  
Their gallop took them all the way back to the cabin in record time.  
  
  
What do you think? Any good? All bad? Continue? 


	2. 

  
Night had already fallen. Their gallop took them all the way back to the cabin in record time. Once inside, he let her down. The first thing he noticed when he looked at her was her breath forming puffs in the air. He then realized it was much colder in the cabin than before.  
  
"It's fr-freezing in here," chattered Satrina. Their sad little fire had also burned down quite a bit.   
  
"There's probably something wrong with the propane tank. I'll go check it out."  
  
Satrina sat down on the couch and shivered. She wrapped her arms around herself and leaned foreword. Never a huge fan of winter, Satrina groaned inwardly. Maybe coming here wasn't such a great idea.  
  
Alec came in and slammed the door. "Something's defiantly wrong. The bad thing is we never learned much about propane tanks. Thought they went out with Brittany Spears."  
  
"Ugh, I hate the cold!" Satrina vented. The shivers continued to wrack her body. Watching Alec throw a few logs on the fire, she suddenly admired his Manticore upbringing. Not that she didn't admire the perfect body, good looks and smart ass wit they had blessed him with.   
  
"You're so lucky, Alec."  
  
He sat down next to her with a confused look. "What?"  
  
"You don't have to worry about being too cold, or getting tired."  
  
He shrugged. "It's not really all it's cracked up to be."  
  
She nudged him. "You can't tell me that you don't love the fact that you can run faster than anyone, jump higher, run longer than norms."  
  
Unconsciously, Alec grabbed her hands in his rubbing gently to warm them up. "But you also don't have people trying to hunt you and kill you."   
  
Her head tilted to the side. "Funny, I didn't even try to hunt you and I got you. You must not be as good as I thought."  
  
He quirked an eyebrow. "That's not what you said last night."  
  
"Let's hope I never have to say that." Looking towards the fire, an idea popped into her head. "I think this couch folds out into a bed. Let's pile a bunch of blankets on here so we can sleep next to the fire."  
  
"Sounds like a plan."  
  
They both ran all over the cabin searching for every blanket they could find. After finding all they could, they changed into their pajamas; Satrina, a comfy pair of pants and a tank top, Alec, just comfy pants.  
  
Hopping into bed quickly, Satrina continued to shiver. "Come on," she said to Alec who was throwing more wood on the fire, "hurry up."  
  
"Do you want to be warm or not?"  
  
"I was really hoping you could keep me warm." She smiled slyly.  
  
He smiled equally slyly. "I'd love nothing more than to keep you warm." Alec swiftly climbed into the bed. Spooning up next to Satrina, he wrapped his arm around her slim waist. Alec was astonished to find her skin cold to the touch. "Satrina, you're freezing!" He felt her shivering continue.  
  
"Don't I know it. I've never done well in the winter. I always get cold easily."  
  
A smile curved his lips as he realized the perfect way to warm her up. His head lifted a few inches above her neck. He placed slow, deliberate kisses on the sensitive spots on her neck.  
  
A large involuntary shiver went through her body and she let out a low moan. "Oh   
gods, that's defiantly making me feel warmer."  
  
She flipped over to be face to face with him. Her hands relaxed on his chest and her head tucked under his chin. "Alec?"  
  
"Hmm?"   
  
Lightly with her index finger, she traced circles on his collarbone. "After you left Manticore, were you ever scared?"  
  
Alec wasn't usually one to admit his fears. Everything was kept bundled and tucked away, hidden behind Manticore made steal. But something about Satrina, her smile or her kiss, had made the steal corrode and he couldn't hide from her. So he told her. "There was this one time," he kept his voice quiet, afraid he wouldn't be able to finish. "It was about a weak after Manticore burned down. I hadn't slept in three days, my clothes we're filthy. I was sitting in an alley trying to think of where I could sleep. Then it hit me, I was alone. I could've died right there, and not another human being would have cared. They wouldn't have even know I had existed."  
  
Satrina's heart ached for him. No one should feel that alone. "You're not alone anymore." Her lips touched the skin of his throat in a light kiss. "I'm with you."  
  
Not having the words to express himself, he simply kissed her forehead. He could   
only utter, "Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
Breathing in deeply, Alec couldn't believe he'd been so lucky as to find an amazing person like Satrina. Without any benefit or reward to herself, she supported him and loved him. It was confusing as all hell why she did love him. He knew he came off as somewhat of an asshole. He knew that people, especially Max, thought he was shallow and conceited. So he decided the best way to find out was to ask.  
  
"Satrina, why do you love me?"  
  
Abruptly, she pulled far enough away to see his eyes. Her hand reached up and gently stroked his cheek. "You just answered you own question."  
  
Confusion was evident on his face as his eyebrows knitted together. If he was confused before, he was even more so now. "I don't get it."  
  
"You appear to be self-centered and an asshole, but there's vulnerability in you. That's what I love about you. You're tough on the outside but soft on the inside."  
  
Alec chuckled deeply, the sound reverberating in his chest. "You make me sound like candy or something."  
  
It was Satrina's turn to chuckle. "Well, you certainly are eye candy."  
  
He shrugged slightly. "I know. You should see all the women at Crash when we have the best chest contests. I have to beat them off with a stick."  
  
Satrina rolled her eyes. Together they rolled over so Satrina lay on top of Alec. Without saying a word, she searched his eyes, not trying to find anything, just seeing what hid there. The blue of his eyes reminded her of the sky an hour before sunset. Slowly, her eyes traveled down the sleek curve of his cheekbone to his full, kissable lips. Giving into her desires, she kissed him tenderly, but before she broke the kiss, her teeth tugged on his bottom lip.   
  
A smile touched her lips when she realized he was at a loss for words by her action. "Aren't you going to beat me off with a stick?"  
  
A shuddering breath left him. "Maybe later. Right now, I think we should continue with the kiss."  
  
"Anything you want, sweet-cheeks."  
  
  
  
Having an older brother had never paid off so well. Satrina's older brother had taught her to throw and catch at an early age. So using the skill she acquired from her brother, she hurled the snowball at Alec. It would have it him square in the face had he not used his Manticore skills to block it. Seeing the glint in his eye, she ran. It was funny how they always ended up throwing things at each other.   
  
Alec was gaining on Satrina, but, conveniently for him, she slipped on the freshly fallen snow. He chuckled as he peared down at her.  
  
"How's everything down there? Wet? Cold?" he said with a grin.  
  
Her breath caught as the wind was knocked out of her. Forcefully, she made her   
lungs take in precious air.   
  
His smile still painted on his face, worry crept into Alec's mind. Weakness became more apparent with each passing second. Desperately, he controlled the shaking that was beginning to wrack his body. No, this can't be happening now! I took my pills!  
  
Satrina smiled up at Alec and quickly kicked him in the stomach.   
  
Alec grunted. "Fine. We'll do it your way." Picking her up, her threw Satrina over his shoulder. She laughed wildly. A gleam caught her eye when she noticed the snow in her hand. Agile fingers pulled his coat and shirt back and slipped the snow in. But Satrina forgot that he wasn't easily affected by temperature changes. Purposefully, Alec trudged on until he found the appropriate spot to dump Satrina.   
  
Seeing the mound of snow, she clamped her fingers onto him determined to stay where she was. "No, Alec! You dump me in there and you'll pay!"  
  
"What do you really think you can do to an X-5?" Then Alec attempted to throw Satrina down but wasn't aware of her steal grip. Momentum took him down with her. They sat up on their elbows, snow clinging to every inch of them.   
  
"Way to go slick," Satrina flung snow in his general direction. After a heavy sigh, Satrina sat up. "Let's go inside before I freeze and you look anymore yummy." She threw a glance his was noting how good he looked with snow in his hair and snow melting on his skin.   
  
The cabin felt warm especially for being heated by only a fire. Involuntarily, Satrina shivered. Turning to Alec, she opened her mouth to say something but stopped. Alec's hand trembled.   
  
Her eyes shot up to meet Alec's. "Are you okay?"   
  
Sharply, Alec drew in air. "I'm fine." His voice betrayed any weakness he hoped to hide. "I just need to sit down." Control left Alec and his knees buckled. Before he hit the floor, Satrina snatched one of his arms and the zipper of his coat with the other hand. Gently, she lowered his trembling body to the nearby couch.   
  
"Alec?" She rested her hands on each of his shoulders using pressure, hoping to still him.   
  
"Sei-seizure," he managed to stutter.   
  
Panic settled in Satrina's stomach. Alec was having a seizure and she didn't have the slightest idea what to do. "What do I do?"  
  
Sweat streaked his forehead. "Pills ... coat poc-pocket," he whispered. The trembling of Alec's body shook the couch. Searching his pockets quickly, she found the pills he needed. Confusion creased her brow when she read the name of the pills. Tryptophan. Without any more hesitation, she popped open the bottle and took out two pills.   
  
Carefully, she placed the pills in his mouth and held his head still to make sure he swallowed them. "Alec, please don't leave me. I don't know what else to do."  
  
More than anything, Alec wanted to answer her, reassure her that he'd be fine. But this bout of seizures was worse than any other he'd had and he couldn't force himself to speak. Alec tried desperately to keep Satrina's troubled face in focus. Her beautiful tear soaked face blurred until Alec slipped into peaceful blackness.  
  
  
So, is this any good? Tell me if it's great or if it's utter crap or if you just think Alec's hot. 


	3. 

_  
  
My name is x-5494. I am genetically engineered soldier. I was designed to be perfect. Nothing is more important than the mission. Relationships and feelings are sentimental weaknesses. I have been bread to be better than humans. I am superior to them in every way. My only loyalty is to Manticore. My life is theirs.  
  
"X-5494, you will spend six months in psy-ops for a complete psychological evaluation. Your twin X-5493 has committed a series of murders and we have to make sure you won't do the same."   
"Yes sir."   
  
Red lasers pierced into his unfeeling blue eyes. But his mind screamed for relief, for comfort.  
He couldn't see straight, he couldn't think straight. His tired body begged for rest, sleep. But they forced him to continue. He hadn't slept for five days but they threw person after person at him to see if he'd snap.  
  
Days after he first got thrown into solitary, he was still there. He hadn't seen or heard another living being since then. He couldn't remember the last time they had fed him or provided him with water. The light in his cell was dim. The floor was damp. And his "bed" was nothing more than a sheet of wood. He stared at the door with empty eyes.  
  
  
  
"Ben?"  
  
"What?"   
  
"You look like someone I used to know."   
  
"Well, my designation's 494."   
  
"His was 493. You must be twinned."   
  
"493...Your fellow traitor. Went psycho."   
  
"What do you know about it?"   
  
"I know that because of him I had to spend six months in psy-ops. They wanted to make sure it wasn't genetic. Looks like ten years in the world finally got to him."   
  
"It was this place that got to him."  
  
  
  
"You think Manticore takes care of you out of the goodness of its heart? It's using you."   
  
"Nobody's using me."   
  
"That's what you don't get. You're working for the bad guys."  
  
  
  
"My name's Max."   
  
"Whatever you say."   
  
"You should have a name too."   
  
"I told you, my designation's 494."   
  
"Doesn't suit you. I'm gonna call you Alec."   
  
"Alec?"   
  
"As in smart aleck."   
  
"I can live with that."   
  
"Good. 'Cause my second choice was Dick."  
  
  
  
"Wait. Killing me isn't gonna solve your problem."  
  
"You're right. I have to take out all of them."  
  
"You gotta find 'em first. I can help."  
  
"Is that a fact?"  
  
"Who better to hunt transgenics than another transgenic?"  
  
"You expect me to believe that you would turn against your own kind?"  
  
"Try me."  
  
  
  
"So I got two. I just need more time to get the third."  
  
"We had an agreement."  
  
"Just a few hours."  
  
"That's not what I'm talking about. I told you to kill them."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Someone left him outside an emergency room with a bandage on the back of his neck."  
  
"He was just a kid."  
  
"You disappoint me. Now apparently you had no trouble with whatever this was! But him...one of your own...you couldn't do it. So now you're a dead man."  
  
"I can do it. Give me another chance."  
  
  
  
"Because he's a cold-blooded, opportunistic showoff who thought he could run his game on a major bad guy who, it turns out, is an even bigger scumbag than he is! That about cover it?  
  
"Yeah, that's pretty much how it happened."  
  
"Oh, before I forget, thanks so much for not killing me."  
  
  
  
"I owe you, Max. I know I screwed things--"  
  
"Shut up! And listen, 'cause I'm only saying this once. That guy was the last chance for me and Logan. He's gone, and it's your fault. Don't think I'm ever getting over that.  
  
"I know."  
  
"Just...do me a favor, all right? Go away. I can't even look at you right now.  
  
"I'm sorry, Max...for everything."  
  
  
  
"You are not going to bang her!"   
  
"And why not? I thought you'd be proud, she's a step up from a hooker. Besides, they're only norms. Dirty, stupid, norms."  
  
"They're not the ones who are the freaks here, Alec, it's us. We were the ones created in a lab, not them. You may think that we're superior to them, but in every way that matters, we're inferior. We can't have the feelings they do, we can try, but they don't come natural to us. We have our Manticore training that makes everything easy for us, but they have to struggle to survive."  
  
"Okay, Max, what's your point?"  
  
"You can't treat them like they're worthless. So you're the pretty boy who grew up in the clean, sterile environment. Give them a chance. Spend some of your self-centered energy and get to know them."  
  
  
  
"Alec, what's your deal? You haven't said more than three self-centered words to me this morning."  
  
"It's personal."  
  
"Well, care to tell me about it?"  
  
"Knowing you, you'd probably laugh at me."  
  
"Then you definitely have to tell me. Fine, I won't laugh."  
  
"I spent a lot of time with Satrina this last week, and I think I'm starting to have feelings for her. There, are you happy? This self-centered, norm hating soldier is having feelings for a human."   
  
"That's impossible! You're shallow and-"  
  
"Isn't it possible for people to change?"   
  
  
  
"What am I to you? You're this perfect soldier, am I a dirty human to you? Someone to sleep with? A good fuck? You must think I'm an idiot. A stupid human to play with. Go away. You may be perfect with no emotions, but I'm not. I'm just an emotional human."   
  
"No, Satrina. None of that is true."  
  
"Leave me alone! I'm sick of being used."  
  
"Satrina, please listen to me. I didn't use you. At first I did think all norms were dirty. I thought they were only good for sleeping with. But then I met you. I was arrogant and thought I could bang you like any other norm. But you proved everything I thought wrong. You are unbelievable. With ever encounter, you made me see norms for what you really are. You are not dirty, and you're not stupid."  
  
  
  
"Satrina, I was scared this morning. I've never had feelings for anyone like the ones I have for you. You changed me; made me so much better than I was. You made me care. You gave me depth."   
  
"Really?"   
  
"Yes."  
  
  
  
"Alec, don't finish that. You're a genetically engineered soldier. I can pretty much guess what you did."  
  
"Are you okay with that?"   
  
"I understand that you had to do things that you probably wouldn't have done had you not been a soldier. I don't think you're a murderer. If I was worried about you hurting me, you wouldn't be here."  
  
  
  
"Alec, talk to me. Tell me what's wrong. Please."  
  
"I ... you could have died and it would have been because of me."  
  
"But I didn't die, you saved me."  
  
"I'm a killer and you almost died because of me."   
  
"But I didn't. Because of you, I'm still alive. I'm still breathing and I'm still here with you. And you are not a killer. You've killed but that's not who you are. You only did that because you had to."  
  
  
  
"Do you have any idea how charming you are? How totally handsome, fun and sexy you are?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You know, I should really stop stroking your ego but you're just so damn cute."  
  
"I know."   
  
"Do you have any idea how badly you make me want you?"   
  
"Do you have any idea how badly _you_ make me want _you_?"   
  
"Do you have any idea how much I love you?"   
  
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."   
  
"Wait, Satrina. Don't be sorry. I promise I won't run. But this is new for me and I don't know what I'm feeling. I know it's something but-"  
  
"It's okay. You'll tell me only when you want to and only when you're ready. I'm going to go make breakfast. Pancakes or eggs?"  
  
"Pancakes. Satrina? I love you."   
  
  
  
My name is Alec. I am a man. I am imperfect. Nothing is more important than life. Relationships and emotions are sentimental wonders. I am not any better than humans. I am not superior to them. My only loyalty is to love. My life is hers._  
  
  
  
Pain assaulted his entire body. His stomach grumbled complaining of no food. Slowly, painfully slow, he opened his eyes. Soft rays of sunlight spilled through the window. He followed a single ray a gold light to Satrina's face. Her head rested on his firm stomach. Next to her head lay their hands, fingers entwined. Alec realized that she had fallen asleep kneeling on the floor watching over him.  
  
Even in sleep, worry still etched her face. Fighting the pain, Alec's free hand touched her pale forehead. His finger tips wondered her face, tracing and memorizing every feature.  
  



	4. 

  
  
Pain assaulted his entire body. His stomach grumbled complaining of no food. Slowly, painfully slow, he opened his eyes. Soft rays of sunlight spilled through the window. He followed a single ray a gold light to Satrina's face. Her head rested on his firm, bare stomach. Next to her head lay their hands, fingers entwined. Alec realized that she had fallen asleep kneeling on the floor watching over him.  
  
Even in sleep, worry still etched her face. Fighting the pain, Alec's free hand touched her pale forehead. His finger tips wondered her face, tracing and memorizing every feature.   
  
Satrina's eyes fluttered open. For a split second, she didn't comprehend what she was seeing. And then it came to her. "Alec!" Her head shot up. "You're okay, you're awake!"  
  
Alec pulled himself to a sitting position, legs still extended the length of the couch. "Yeah. How long was I out?"  
  
Sitting next to him on the couch, her eyes never left his handsome face. "About twelve hours."  
  
Alec rubbed his eyes, more out of habit than necessity. "That's the longest yet."  
  
Anger flared in Satrina and she shoved Alec slightly. "How could you not tell me? You scared the hell out of me!" She stood and began pacing. "I thought you were going to die. I didn't know what to do! You were shaking the whole couch and ... you could have at least told me!"  
  
Reaching out a hand, Alec snatched her wrist making her stop. "Satrina, I'm sorry," he spoke softly.  
  
"You're sorry?" The tears began to flow down Satrina's cheeks. "I thought you were going to die and all you can say is sorry?"  
  
With one yank on her wrist, Alec had her sitting on his lap. Strong arms wrapped around her forcing her to stay put. Cheek to cheek, he whispered to her the words of one of the few songs he remembered. "If I should die this very moment..." He felt her tense so he brought his mouth closer to her ear. "I wouldn't fear because I've never known completeness like being here, wrapped in the warmth of you..." Tears fell on Alec's shoulder as Satrina's arms tightened around him. "Loving every breath of you."  
  
The silence that followed was only broken by Satrina's muffled sobs. Alec stroked her back comfortingly. He felt like kind of an ass.  
  
"I really am sorry. I should have told you that I had seizures, but I rarely ever get them. When I do, they're amazingly strong."  
  
She sniffled. "Why do you get them?"  
  
"Well, as much as Manticore likes to think that they don't make any mistakes, they do. I'm not sure what it is, most likely some encoding in our DNA is off, but there are some X-5s who get seizures. For some reason, our bodies can't produce their own tryptophan. We have to get it from an outside source; the pills, milk. But the pills aren't always enough."   
  
Pulling back to look at her, Alec remembered the flashbacks. "Satrina," his voice caught in is his throat. He quickly cleared his throat. "I have flashbacks when I have seizures."   
  
Kinda short, sorry. The song Alec says was on Moulin Rouge. 


	5. 

Hey guys, I know it's been a long time and with any luck you've been waiting, but I've been super busy. So here's a little bit more.   
  
  
"I realy am sorry. I should have told you that I had seizures, but I rarely ever get them. When I do, they're amazingly strong."  
  
She sniffled. "Why do you have them?"  
  
"Well, as much as Manticore likes to think that they don't make any mistakes, they do. I'm not sure what it is, most likely some encoding in our DNA is off, but there are some X-5s who get seizures. For some reason, our bodies can't produce their own tryptophan. We have to get it from an outside source; the pills, milk. But the pills aren't always enough."   
  
Pulling back to look at her, Alec remembered the flashbacks. "Satrina," his voice caught in is his throat. He quickly cleared his throat. "I have flashbacks when I have seizures."   
  
Wrinkles creased her forehead as her face scrunched in confusion. "Flashbacks. Like what?"  
  
"I..." Alec's mind tried pulling the memories up to be read. They were foggy but, once he started going, it all came back. "I was back at Manticore when they were doing tests on me. My flashbacks are usually of the darkest times at Manticore, and that would be when they were doing tests on me. You don't want to know what they did. It started off as Manticore, but then it was after we escaped, and then it was with you. It was..." He searched his engineered mind for the words, and he found them in what Max said before. "It was my personal growth, my progression. And I have you to thank."  
  
Her eyes met his wonderful blue ones in question. "Me? Why me?"  
  
Deliberately, his hand slid along her cheek and rested under her chin. With no haste, he brought his lips to hers. The kiss was lingering and sweet. Pulling back, he noticed the love depicted in her eyes. He chuckled deep from his chest. "You made me love you. You showed me that people are worth caring for. You showed me that love is the most beautiful thing ... besides you." A blush painted her cheeks and Alec jumped on the simple occurance. "That! It's things like that; I tell you your beautiful all the time, and you still blush. It's, as cheezy as it sounds, little things like that that changed me and made me better."  
  
"I do what I can," she smiled.  
  
"So," Alec started, "I've been wondering ... where's my shirt?"  
  
Involuntarily, her fingers splayed against his muscular back, teasing his warm skin. "Well, I couldn't let you lay in soaking wet clothes." Shifting her body, she sat with her legs wrapped around him. "So," she kissed the side of his throat. "I took them off of you," she nipped at the corner of his jaw. "And got an eyeful," she kissed his lips. "Of you."   
  
A lopsided grin spread across his face. "Maybe we should get you out of your clothes so I can get an eyeful."  
  
"Maybe," she whispered into his mouth, and closed the milimeter and kissed him. At that moment, Alec's empty stomach complained very loudly. Laughing lightly, Satrina pulled back. "Maybe we should get you something to eat first. Besides, I might tire you out quickly and we wouldn't want that."  
  
"You really think you could wea me out?"  
  
She only smiled and stood to make her way to the kitchen.  
  
  
  
They couldn't get back to Seattle fast enough, at least for Alec. He could smell her. The hormones and pheramones poured out of her and he could smell them a mile away. Animal instincts took over and Alec could barely control himself. He had to get to her, and he had to be first. He also had to get rid of Satrina.   
  
He ignored her the moment they entered Seattle. Satrina didn't know what was wrong with him. His fingers twitched, he had the look of a predator etched on his face. After multiple atemps at conversation, Satrina gave up. Wracking her brain, she tried to figure out what she had done or said but she came up with nothing. Apparently, he was angry with her.   
  
Headlessly, Alec parked his classic car in front of Satrina's building. Getting out of the car, Satrina grabbed her duffel bag full of clothing. She turned to Alec to ask him to come up with her, but watched him wave and drive off quickly. With anger seething under her skin, Satrina watched as his car disppeared around the corner. The anger could no longer be contained by her meager skin, she threw her bag down to the ground and let out a heart-ripping scream.   
  
"What is wrong with him?!" Sighing heavily, she bent down and picked up her bag. "You know, if he was mad at me, he could at least tell me why. Selfish bastard." Her feet then carried her into her appartment so she could sulk with some cookies and t.v. 


	6. 

The lock to her apartment was not a problem for Alec, he just busted the damn thing. She was ready and there was no time to waste. He found her in her room sweating and doing rapid push-ups. The ceased the moment Alec entered the room. Dark eyes looked up from under long lashes. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips at the sight of him.   
  
Violently, he grabbed her arms and hauled her to her feet. A gasp fluttered through her lips at the contact with her over sensitized skin. Pressing her body firmly against his, she sighed as he kissed her roughly.  
  
"Max... " Alec panted.   
  
Her response was to thrust her hips against his. A moan left Alec and he slipped her shirt off. That moment, a metallic ring was heard and Alec's world went black.  
  
  
Max strode into Jam Pony feeling exhausted. The night had been strenuous and long. She couldn't believe things had turned out they way they did.   
  
And that's when Max saw her, sitting by her locker staring at the floor, her shoulders slumped. Her normally near perfect appearance was obscured by unkempt hair and disheveled clothes. Without having to put a single thought in it, Max knew what made her this way. A frown smudged Max's beautiful features. Everything that Satrina felt was partly Max's fault.  
  
"Hey," Max said to Satrina as she sat down next to her.  
  
Satrina through a glance at Max. "Hey, Max. You look like hell."  
  
And Max knew that Satrina was right. Being in heat never did any good for one's appearance afterwards. "Yeah, I had a rough night."  
  
Satrina grunted. "Tell me about it."  
  
"Okay." Satrina met Max's face with astonishment on her own. "I was in heat last night," Max began forcing herself to tell this woman what was going on no matter how embarrassing.   
  
"Let me guess, because of the cat DNA they put in you?" A smile broke over Satrina's face.  
  
"Exactly." And the smile left Satrina's face. "Manticore put feline DNA in all X series. It makes us jump higher, run faster, have better reflexes and so on." Max involuntarily wrapped her arms around herself, almost in order to shelter herself. "I go into heat as a side effect. I have to do everything in my power to control it. Every man is irresistible. I wanna take them all for a ride." Max chuckled softly to cover up the shame. Enchanted by her tale, Satrina's eyes never left Max.   
  
"Alec came over to my place last night..."  
  
Satrina shook her head. "Wait, wait, wait. What? He ignored me the entire time we were in Seattle, left me without an explanation and went to your place when all you wanted was a free ride?" Max silently thanked fate that no one happened to be around. Taking off her yellow stocking cap, Satrina hurled it at the lockers across from them. "That son of bitch cheated on me! He told me he loved me!" She kicked the lockers then palm-heeled them. Pausing for a short break, Satrina continued to thrash the lockers, rage rushing through her.  
  
After a few minutes of punishing the lockers, her anger failed her and only sadness claimed her mind. Tears flowed down her cheeks. She leaned her forehead against the locker. "You know, he told me that one of the things he loved about me was that, no matter how many times he told me I was beautiful, I always blushed. You wanna know why I always blushed?" She ran her fingers through her hair remembering all the torture. "Before Alec, I had never felt beautiful or attractive. I had never felt wanted. Every relationship I had was terrible. Guys can be the biggest assholes."  
  
Max stood next to Satrina. Gently, she put her hand on Satrina's shoulder. "Satrina, we-"  
  
"Why did you have to take him?" Satrina interrupted. Her glossy eyes hopelessly searched Max's for quilt. "You had Logan, and I know you two can't touch, but I only had him." Her voice dropped down to a whisper a her eyes fell to the floor again. "I only wanted him."   
  
Max lifted Satrina's chin. "And he's only yours. We didn't do anything. Well, we did kiss." When pain passed over Satrina's face, Max continued. "That was it. That was all we did." Max pulled Satrina to sit down with her on the bench. "When I go into heat, all X's know that. They're like male cats, they can smell it and they want nothing more then to impregnate me. That's what drove Alec to my place. He couldn't help it, just like I can't help it. He came over and found me. We kissed and then Original Cindy came to the rescue with a frying pan."  
  
Satrina's jaw literally dropped. "A frying pan?"  
  
Max nodded. "Yep. She came in and wam. Right on the head with a frying pan. Dented it up real nice too."  
  
"Original Cindy is now my personal hero."  
  
"Then she dragged me to the bathroom and dropped my sorry ass in the tub filled with damn cold water. So, Alec was unconscious and was freezing my ass off in a tub. End of story."   
  
"Nothing happened?"  
  
"Except that one kiss and it wasn't anything. He doesn't love me, he loves you."  
  
Satrina's eyebrows rose in an unsure manner. "How do you he does for sure?"  
  
"Well, let's see," Max pretended to think about it. "Before you came along, he was a selfish prick and now he's just a prick. I've never seen him look at anybody the way he looks at you. And he told me."  
  
Satrina blinked. "He told you?!"  
  
Satrina smiled brightly. "Yeah. Who do you think talked Logan into letting you guys use the cabin? And Alec really has to say something great in order for me to believe him. So he told me. He said that he loved you and wanted to spend a romantic weekend with you."  
  
"Where is he now?"  
  
Max laughed. "Still passed out at my place. Cindy hit him pretty hard."  
  
Biting her lower lip, Satrina processed all this new information. "I still feel ... sad or, I don't know. I feel something unhappy."  
  
"How about we play a little joke on him?" Max suggested with a glint in her eye.  
  
Satrina smiled. "And that's why you're my hero." 


	7. chapter 7

This chapter's not working so well. For some reason it won't post all of it. I'll have to work on it.  
  
Alec felt soft lips against his and he moaned in pleasure. "Mmm... Satrina."  
  
A familiar voice greeted him. "Guess again, baby."  
  
Panic rushed his blood and Alec's eyes shot open. Full, pouty lips, brown hair and brown eyes filled his vision. "Max?" Sitting up quickly, which he instantly regretted due to the pounding in his head, he scooted away from her. Instinctively, his hand clutched the back of his head because of the pain.  
  
"Alec," she purred his name.  
  
"Oww... Max, what's going on?" Panic rose in his voice. "What am I doing here, why does my head hurt and where's my shirt?!"  
  
She giggled and moved closer to him. "What do you think is going on? I was in heat and you helped me. Your head hurts because we got a little ... rough. Oh, and sorry about your shirt."  
  
Alec glanced at her quickly. "What happened to my shirt?"  
  
Tilting her head to the side, she let confusion settle on her face. "You don't remember?" And then her face lit up. "Of course you don't remember! After the workout we had last night, it's understandable. I got too excited and ripped it off." Leaning towards him, she went to kiss him, but he hastily got off the bed, arms flailing as he did.   
  
He looked at Max like she had coaxed him into a deal with the devil. "We couldn't have done anything. I love Satrina and I wouldn't..."  
  
"It wasn't her name you were screaming last night." Max lounged on her bed like it was no big deal.  
  
Alec ran a hand through his rumpled hair. "What you're telling me can't be true! You hate me! And I love Satrina!"   
  
Taking long strides and ignoring Max's snide comments, Alec b-lined to the door. When he flung the door open, he saw something he never expected to see at that moment.   
  
"Satrina!" Alec practically shrieked.   
  
He watched her take in his topless form and saw her eyes grow in horror. "Alec ... what are you doing here like that?"  
  
"I can explain!" Alec raised his hands as if to prove they were clean.  
  
She took a step back. "Did you ... did you sleep with Max?"  
  
He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. "I don't know."  
  
"You don't know?"  
  
"No, at least I don't think so." Tears glistened in her eyes which caused Alec's heart to break. Without thinking, his hand grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.   
  
"I'm so sorry. I never meant for it to happen. Max was in heat and my body couldn't help it." It was then that he noticed tears coming from his own eyes. He felt so awful, he wept.  
  
His sniffles reached Satrina's ears and she pulled back from his embrace. The instant she saw the tears, she regretted her and Max's plan and hated herself.  
  
"Oh god, honey. No, no, don't cry! You didn't sleep with Max!"  
  
He blinked. "What?"  
  
Resting her hands on his chest, she explained it to him. "It was a joke. I'm sorry. After you dropped me off, you came here, but before you and Max got anywhere, Cindy hit you with a frying pan. You didn't do anything," she said feverishly.   
  
"A joke?" It came out a whisper.  
  
She put both hands on either side of his face. "I'm so sorry. I honestly didn't think you'd fall for it."  
  
He stepped back. "A joke! It was a joke!"  
  
Before he even got started on his rant, Max walked into the room. "Oh, quit your crying." She stood with her hands on her hips. "Satrina felt like you were mad at her, and when I told her I was in heat, she thought you had slept with me. I told her that nothing happened but she still felt betrayed. So, I thought this would make her feel better." Max went to the couch and flopped down on it. "God, you both love each other so much I could hurl."  
  
Alec met Satrina's pleading eyes and smiled. That made her heart leap. "Forgive me?" she whispered.  
  
"Only if you forgive me."  
  
Smiling, her arms slithered around his waist. "You know, the next time something happens with Manticore or you genetics, tell me about it so I don't think you slept with another woman."  
  
"Deal" And they sealed it with a kiss.   
  
Max sighed disgustedly and rolled her eyes. She grabbed a pillow at and threw it at them. "You guys are sick! Get a room!"  
  
They continued kissing, so Max continued yelling. "Hey, girl gonna lose her lunch over here." When they wouldn't stop, Max went over to them and slapped Alec in the back of the head. "Would you cut it out already! It's enough that I had to kiss you and see you without a shirt to add you two making out on top of it!"   
  
Satrina laughed at Max. "Ah Max, how can you say that about this adorable looking man! He's just a teddy bear!"  
  
Alec quirked an eyebrow at Satrina. "Just a teddy bear huh?"  
  
A grin spread over her face. "Uh huh, a teddy bear for me to love," she drew him closer, "and pet." She began petting his well toned stomach.   
  
Letting out an annoyed scream, Max ran to her bedroom and came back with Alec's shirt. She threw it at him hitting him square in the face. "That's it! You and you," she said pointing to both Alec and Satrina. "Out! I'm going to have nightmares now." She shooed them out of her apartment.  
  
They laughed with each other as Max shoved them into the hall slamming the door behind them. Alec took Satrina's hand and kissed it. "I love you." He spoke the words to her with more honesty than he had ever said anything. "And I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you."   
  
A swell of love formed in her throat. Gently taking his other hand, she brought their hands to her chest. "Sometimes I just can't handle you. Did I ever tell you that not too long ago, I didn't think I was attractive or worthy of love? That's why, when you came to my apartment that first night, I really truly thought that I wasn't worthy of you. That I was beneath you and I could never mean anything to you."  
  
Sorrow filled his eyes. "Satrina..."  
  
She hushed him with a kiss. "Even though you told me that I was important to you, I really believed it when you came to save me when White kidnapped me. I didn't know if you would come for me. But the fact that you were willing to give up your freedom so I could live, that's the moment I fell in love with you."  
  
He stroked the side of her face. "I fell in love with you the moment I thought I lost you."  
  
"You will never loose me." Leaning in, she went to kiss him but was interrupted by yelling.   
  
"Could you guys please get away from my door!" Max yelled though the door. "Leave! Go frolic in the park or something."  
  
Rolling their eyes at the same time, they began walking down the hall. "So Alec," Satrina began.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"When I first met you, you didn't think much of norms, or much of the world outside Manticore."  
  
He nodded his head slowly. "Right."  
  
"And," she continued, "I kinda thought that maybe you missed Manticore and you wanted to go back."  
  
"I actually did."  
  
Looking at him genuinely curious, she asked, "After all that's happened; working at Jam Pony, getting friends, loving me ... would you still go back, if possible?"  
  
Their slow walk stopped abruptly as Alec turned to meet Satrina's gaze. In Manticore, he would have warm food, a nice bed and a clean place to live. But he would have to be their slave again. He wouldn't know freedom, fun or love. The outside world offered him everything Manticore couldn't. And he knew it.  
  
Alec brought his hand to her hair, gently stroking it. "Never."   
  
A soft smile curved her lips as she grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers. "Alright, sweet cheeks. Enough of the mushy stuff, let's go do something ... maybe something that involves mud."  
  
He grinned down at her. "Or snow."  
  
She matched his grin. "Exactly." 


	8. chapter 8

This is a fake chapter. No one reviewed the last chapter I wrote so I thought people might have missed it and the only way you can get a story back on the first page is to update. I don't, maybe no one wanted to review my last chapter. Anywho, I just want some fricken reviews. 


End file.
